Marine torch.



Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

G. R. HOLMESA MARINE TORCH. APPLICATION FILED NV.7,1918.

a @fm Grimm,

i O s1 H a. v n rl@ v vewirLLvYnrin. HoLMEsor BALTIMORE, nuinYLAnTn.v

I"iraniani: Tonen.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Mar, 11', 11919,

Application tiled November 7, 1918. Serial No. 261,523.v

To all whom it may, concern.' v

ysary to Beit known that I, GWYLLYM at the city of Baltimore, State 'ofMaryland, have'invented certainnew and useful Improvements in MarineTorches, of which the following is a specification.

Thevpresent invention relates toY 'marine torches and more particularlyto the type in which an illuminating gas is automatically generated landignited when `the torch is launched into water. Usually, such torcheshave two chambers, -one containing the illuminant forming-material andthe other the'ignitingmaterial, and thewater is admitted 'to thechambers through independent openings. As these openings must be sealedwhen the'torch is idle, it-is necessary to prol vide means Jfor breakingboth seals when the torch is used. Furthermore, the opening for one ofthe chambers has usually been placed at the top of the torch, andas aconsequence only small' quantities' of water enter the chamber and atirregular intervals, if at all. Thus where the opening for the ignitercontaining chamber is located at or near the top of the torch, and amaterial such as calcium phosphid is used, the small quantity of waterentering causes a layer of lime to be formed on the phosphid, therebypreventing, the formation of the igniting gas, and often the smallamount of water entering the top is not suilicient to generate suiicientgas for igniting purposes.

It is the principal object of the present invention to remedy thesedefects. To this end the invention comprehends the provision of a singleopening in communication with both the igniter chamber and theilluminant chamber, in consequence of which it is necesbreak a singleseal only. A further resides in the location of this opening. Preferablyit is positioned below the water line of the torch, so that sufficientwater will always be supplied to the chamfeature ber when the torch isin the water.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent froin thedescription taken in connection with the drawings, in which Figure 1 isa sectional elevation of a torch constructed in accordancewith thepresent invention; l y V Fig. 2 illustrates the manner of supportingthetorch when used in connection with a .lifepreserver Fig. 3 is asectional elevation through the I R. HOLMES, ai-citizen of the UnitedStates, `and residing'.

illuminatingA gas burner shown in Fig."1;

and.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a modified form of the invention, the capcovering theburners having been removed. 'f

Referring to the drawings,

the torch com.

prises a buoyant container 10, the bottom 11 of which carries a weight12 to cause the-f torch to maintain an upright position when floating inthe water.v A vessel 13 isv ar-y ranged within the container 10 and isdeterial 15, which usually is calcium phosphid. As shown, this vessel iscylindrical in form and has a tube 14 passing longitudinally through thesame. A ring 16 has a nipple 17 screwed through the bottom l11 and theweight 12 and this nipple I.is extendedl through the bottom 18 of thevesselv 13 and has the lower end ofthe tube 14 telescoped signed to holdthe igniter gas forming ma'Vv therein. The nipple'17 is hollow so thatin i tube 14. As shown in Fig. 3, this burnerv is preferably of theiinpinging type.

It will be seen that the annularspace around the vessel 13 constitutesa.' chamber whichis used for the purpose of'holding an illuminating gasforming material 22 such as calcium carbid. lt is one of the principal,features of the present invention to utilize the/opening through thenipple 17 for the purpose of supplyin water to both the gasilo this endthe pipes 23y forming materials. are arranged in communication with theinterior of the nipple 17 and extend through the illuminating gasmaterial and are formed with apertures 24 for distributing water to thematerial. Within the vessel 13 the tube is formed with an opening 25through its wall positioned near the bottom of the vessel and an opening26 near the top thereof. Thus water entering through the nipple willpass through an opening l,25 "and coming in contact with the materialV15 will generate an igniter gas which will rise and pass through theyopening 26 tothe upper end of the tube. 1f desired, other openings 25may be formed near the openings 25.

When the torch is not in use it is necessary to seal the opening throughthe bottom of the container, thatl is, the water inlet, so

ing flange 28 surrounding the dislied por-4 tion 20 of the head, and thechamber thus formed may be closed by a head 29 which has a peripheralflange .30 engaging the outside surface of the flange 28. The rod 28projects through the head 29 and is formed with a ring: 31 at its upperend and with a collar 32 bearing against the undersurface of the head29. When the torch is used with a life preserver it is designed to besupported by means of the rin 31. Thus the'entire weightis transmittedthrough the head 29 and this head is attached to the flange 28 in such amanner that it will support this weight and yet when the life prserver33 is thrown into the Water the head 29wil1 be torn ofi from the flange28. Such a fastening may be accomplished by weakly soldering the twoparts together.

It will be observed that when the torch is torn from its fastening orsupporting means, not only will the cap 2-9 Ibe removed, but the rod 28will be drawn upward and out of the tube, thereby unsealing the opening27. Hence, when the torch is launched into the water the opening 27being free the water will enter therethrough and be distributed to thetwo chambers thereby generating the igniter gas in the vessel 13 and anilluminating -gas in the chamber 33. The igniter gas issuing from theupper end of the tube 14 will burn upon coming in contact with the airand will ignite the illuminating gas issuing from the burner 21. Thetorch will float in anA upright position in the water in the usualina-nner and as the water inlet for both chambers is disposed below thewater line sufficient water will be supplied to continuously generategases in both chambers.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. et, instead of using aburner such as 2=1 illustrated in Fig. 1, the (lished portion 20 of thehead is formed with a series of' openings 21 disposed around the upperend of' the tube 14, and the illuminating gas issuing through theseopenings is ignited by the gas burning at the upper end of the tube.

Although an embodiment of the invention has been described specificallyit is to be understood that the invention is not so limited but includesmodifications and .changes which come Within the scope of the append'-Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is 1. A marine torch including acontainer having two separate chambers, one adapted .to hold the ignitergas forming material to hold vthe igniter gas forming material and theotherthe illuminating gas forming material, both gases being generatedby the addition of water, said container having an opening throughi-tsbottom wall in communication with each of said chambers, saidchambers being disposed so that water entering through said openinglwill flow to both the chambers when the container is placed in water,and releasable means normally closing said opening.

3. A marine torch including a. container having two separate chambers,one adapted to hold the igniter gas forming material and the other theilluminating gas forming material, both gases being generated by theaddition of water,'said container having an opening through one of itswalls in communication with each of said chambers, said chambers being.disposed so that water entering through said opening will flow to boththe chambers when the container is placed in water, said opening beingbelow the level of the water,and releasable means normally closing saidopening.

4. A marine torch including a buoyant container having two separatechambers, one adapted to4 hold the igniter gas forming material vand theother the illuminating gas forming material, both gases being generatedby the addition of walter, said container v having an opening throughone of its walls in communication with each of said chambers, saidchambers being disposed So that water entering through Said opening willilluminating gas forming material, bothv gases being generated by theaddition of water, below the water line, means to admit water to saidchambers, and means to seal said water admission means, adapted to be 6.A marine torch including a buoyant container adapted to holdilluminating gasY forming material, a centrally disposed vessel withinsaid container adapted to hold igniter gas forming material and havingat least a portionbelow thewater line, a water inlet in the bottom ofthe container having communication with thev interior of the containerand vessel, means to close said inlet, and means extending from the topof the container through said vessel to open said inlet when the torchis launched.

7. A marine torch including a. buoyant container, a vessel within saidcontainer, a

tube extending from the top of the container through 'the bottom thereofand open at its lower end, said tube having an opening in ,its wallcommunicating with theinterior of the container and two openingscommunlcating with the interior of the vessel, one being near the bottomand the other the top of the vessel, an illuminating gas burner at thetop of the container adjacent the upper end of the tube, a vcapinclosing the burner and upper end of the tube, means Vto close-thelower end of the tube, and means actuated by launching the torch toremove said cap and open the lower end of the tube.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

GWYLLYM R. HOLMES.

